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G4EBT > RSGB 21.12.07 18:46l 154 Lines 5194 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : A27354G4EBT
Read: OE5AKM DL6DBA GUEST
Subj: Ready, Steady, Go Backwards?
Path: DB0FHN<DB0MRW<DB0ERF<DB0FBB<DB0IUZ<DB0OVN<DB0LJ<DB0RES<ON0BEL<GB7FCR
Sent: 071221/1454Z @:GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU #:55412 [Blackpool] FBB-7.03a $:A27354G4
From: G4EBT@GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU
To : RSGB@WW
The January 2008 issue of Radcom carries a message from the incoming
president curiously entitled "A Move for the Future". It's a very
interesting article but it should be entitled "All Our Yesterdays".
He mentions that in taking office as president it marks his fiftieth
year of RSGB membership, then he gives a rundown of all the events and
developments in the hobby over that half a century - changes to spectrum
allocation, modes, licence terms, type of equipment - Heathkit, KW,
home-brew - the legendary G2DAF line-up.
Those were the days - ration books, MoF orange, malt extract, Ovaltine,
blackouts, rickets and leg-irons, scrumping, kids with gentian violet
ointment daubed on their faces at the school clinic....1155's, sputnik....
Ah yes, I remember it well.
But it's not now is, and it's not next week or next year.
You can't create a future by living in the past.
Move on RSGB!
This way>>>>>>>>>>>>
Not that <<<<<<<<<<<
He recounts the various re-locations of RSGB HQ offices, culminating with
the move to Potters Bar on the outskirts of London in 1982. He explains
that modern IT and mounting costs of Potters Bar have forced the move to
new cheaper premises.
This is at least a decade, if not more, since those members who bother to
read the annual accounts have been urging RSGB to make. It's clear that
RSGB does not apply the rigours that one would expect of a slick business
orientated outfit, but has at least belatedly woken up.
The article by the president is an enjoyable trip down memory lane, but
where is the vision for the future? There is none - RSGB is in a rut as
deep as a grave.
The only mention of the future is that very soon the solar cycle will be
on an upward slope and the president believes that new licensees will be
eager to use the higher HF bands.
Maybe, maybe not.
He falls into the trap that many old salts do - a belief that DX is the
be-all and end-all. For some it is - for others it's not. Although I don't
use it myself, as I write, the following amateurs are on Echolink:
Africa - 11
Asia - 637
EU - 918 (UK 145)
North Am - 1895
South Am - 182
Oceania - 119
I doubt they care much about DX - they're engaging in effortless
communications around the globe, oblivious to the scorn poured
upon them by those who say they're lazy, caring not about sunspot
cycles, QRM or QSB.
They're not interested in QSL cards, which would be silly, they're not
interested in awards or contests - they're just communicating with each
other. (But they might of course use other modes and bands too).
Sure, it's not what the president would call amateur radio - in fact if
it's keyboard to keyboard - as much of packet is these days, it's not
"radio" at all.
But to the old guard at RSGB, radio is HF operating and comes in two
modes - on the key or on the mike. Nothing more to amateur radio than
that.
Where is the fresh thinking at RSGB?
What are they doing to try to further the interests of space observation
by amateur radio ("SOAR") for example? Nothing.
What are they doing to get the position clarified as to what constitutes
"broadcasting" and "re-transmission of recorded messages" (associated with
the Space Shuttle). Nothing.
What are they doing about HF internet gateways?
Nothing, other than being obstructive so as to "keep the bands clean" for
ego-tripping contests and DX-peditions, both of which are actually major
causes of bad behaviour and QRM.
The presidents implores members to try to recruit non-members:
"If you know of any licensees who are not members on their national
society, ask them why".
If he reads the files of letters from former members he'd find out why.
He concludes:
"It is the society and the work that it carries out that enables them to
operate on the bands".
I don't think so.
RSGB has delusions of adequacy.
All a bit sad.
The future of the hobby - as now, doesn't rest with how many licensees
there are, let alone how many are members of RSGB. It rests with activity
levels and a demographic profile more closely allied to that of the
population at large.
This future cannot be secure by trying to recruit kids under 15 to talk to
old men over 65, with whom neither has anything in common with the other.
They don't even speak the same language.
As to activity levels, if people call CQ for twenty minutes and get no
reply, and if they do that day after day, then before long, they stop
calling, advertise their rig on e-bay and are shocked when they get no
bids for it.
Most urban areas in the UK will have at least 500 amateurs within range
of 2,4,6M and 70cMs. Even the more remote parts will have 100 or so.
Hello?
Hello?
Nothing heard - QRT.
RSGB excitedly tells us that there are still some tickets left for the
Presidential Installation Dinner where guests can join the incoming
president on 16 Jan!
It's at the Novotel in Southampton, not a stone-throw away from Mel,
G4WYW.
I'm sure it's an opportunity he won't want to miss.
Best wishes
David, G4EBT @ GB7FCR
Cottingham, East Yorkshire.
Message timed: 14:23 on 2007-Dec-21
Message sent using WinPack-Telnet V6.70
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